Holiday mapping 2017!

It is a known fact that taking a break from work is just as important as work itself. Holidays are a time to rejuvenate and rediscover oneself. A holiday, no matter how short, spent in retrospection and self-discovery, or chilling out with family and friends can be amazingly refreshing. To make things easier, Yo! Vizag  brings you a handy Holiday Planner listing out the scheduled holidays in the upcoming year and a few suggestions of where to chill. The next year is generously loaded with 14 long weekends, including two nine-day bonanzas—one in August and the other in October. So, get out the planners and mark the dates, coordinate with your co-conspirators, contact the travel agent and book your tickets!

January 2017

Thu, 26 Jan: Republic Day
Fri, 27 Jan:   Take leave
Sat, 28 Jan
Sun, 29 Jan

As the winter chills still dominate, this is a great month to either indulge in sports or beat the winter blues at a tropical beach. If not Gulmarg or Auli for skiing, chill out at Gokarna. Or go international and visit Bali in Indonesia or Adelaide in Australia. Adelaide hosts the World Tennis Challenge in January, but the city is also known for its wineries, public gardens, and architecture. But then again, our good old Jaipur is also worth a visit as the Jaipur Literary Festival at the historic Diggi Palace Hotel takes place. Closer home we have the mesmerising Araku and Paderu resorts which are in full bloom with captivatingly foggy mornings.

February 2017

Fri, 24 Feb: Mahashivratri
Sat, 25 Feb

This is the shortest month of the year with a hint of chills as winter dissipates. Before the heat of summers set in, the cooler temperatures of February create a perfect window to head to the desert landscapes of places like Oman. Or get romantic and head to the sugar-white beaches and turquoise shores of the Seychelles, an island cluster in the middle of the Indian Ocean, (the Royal couple honeymooned there after their historic wedding in London!). Or extend your holidays and get happily lost in the excitement of the Goa Carnival (25–28 Feb)!

March 2017

Sat, 11 Mar
Sun, 12 Mar
Mon, 13 Mar: Holi
Sat, 25 Mar
Sun, 26 Mar
Mon, 27 Mar: Take leave
Tue, 28 Mar: Ugadi

As this is the exam season for most of India, bookings are usually easier to procure. Fly off to Coorg to catch the white coffee flowers in bloom or indulge in a bit of adventure with white-water rafting at Rishikesh. In Reykjavik, Iceland, it feels like spring but there is still snow on the ground— the perfect time to explore the beautiful city and hopefully catch the Northern Lights. Closer home, visit the flora and fauna at the Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

April and May 2017

Sat, 1 Apr
Sun, 2 Apr
Mon, 3 Apr: Take leave
Tue, 4 Apr: Ram Navami
Thu, 13 Apr: Vaisakhi
Fri, 14 Apr: Dr Ambedkar Jayanti, Good Friday
Sat, 15 Apr
Sun, 16 Apr: Easter
Sat, 29 Apr
Sun, 30 Apr
Mon, 1 May: May Day

If Kashmir is peaceful, then plan a trip and check out the breathtakingly beautiful valleys and Srinagar for tulips. Or explore your wild-side with a trip to the Ranthambore sanctuary. Japan, and particularly Kyoto, celebrates the very brief but truly beautiful cherry blossom season when landscapes are aglow in pink. Over in the Netherlands, tulips also reach their peak, blanketing the country’s rolling fields and windmill-dotted meadows with deep shades of yellow, purple, red, and white. If nature’s flora is your muse, this month is a good time to indulge.

June 2017

Sat, 24 Jun
Sun, 25 Jun
Mon, 26 Jun: Ramzan Eid

Come June, the allure of Venice is irresistible: gondola rides down glittering canals, afternoon coffee breaks at sidewalk cafés, and delicious gelato. While the monsoons make travel a tad icky, consider catching the monsoons in Munnar, the toy-town hill station in ‘God’s Own Country’ – Kerala. It is known for its tea gardens, lakes, waterfalls and beautiful country side. Or travel up North and visit Leh where the weather is exceptionally pleasant in June. The area is surrounded by mountain ranges and desert, and home to numerous ancient Buddhist monasteries as well.

July 2017

Regrettably, there are no festivities, no National days and consequently, no holidays except for the weekends. But don’t let that dissuade you for you can still make the most of the weekends and plan a trip to nearby places like Araku to beat the heat or even to Dindi.

August 2016

Sat, 12 Aug
Sun, 13 Aug
Mon, 14 Aug: Janmashtami or take leave
Tue, 15 Aug: Independence Day
Wed, 16 Aug: Take leave
Thu, 17 Aug: Parsi New Year
Fri, 18 Aug: Take leave
Sat, 19 Aug
Sun, 20 Aug
Fri, 25 Aug: Ganesh Chaturthi
Sat, 26 Aug
Sun, 27 Aug

Embark on a trek; visit Uttarakhand and the Valley of Flowers or check out Agumbe, Karnataka, which is one of the most popular treks in South India especially in August. The mountains and valleys are filled with numerous waterfalls and ruins of temples dating back to the Hoysala Empire. Internationally, consider the cool, dry atmosphere of Kenya, which spurs the great migration, when herds of wildebeest and zebra shift their grazing territory from the Serengeti to the Mara plains. Or head to the Galápagos, where playful whales, sea lions, penguins, and albatross make regular appearances.

September and October 2017

Sat, 30 Sep
Sun, 1 Oct
Mon, 2 Oct: Gandhi Jayanti
Sat, 14 Oct
Sun, 15 Oct
Mon, 16 Oct: Dhanteras or take leave
Tue, 17 Oct: Naraka Chaturdashi or take leave
Wed, 18 Oct: Diwali
Thu, 19 Oct: Take leave
Fri, 20 Oct: Bhaiduj or take leave
Sat, 21 Oct
Sun, 22 Oct

Abundance of holidays and with the weather being neither too hot, nor too cold, no fog and scant rains, October is the perfect time to visit most of the parts of India. One of UNESCO World heritage sites, Manas National Park in Assam is of great ecological importance so much so that it has also been declared a Project Tiger Reserve, Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve. And in October, the wildlife and vegetation is at its plentiful best. Also consider a neighbouring country like Sri Lanka or one of the planet’s greatest examples of volcanic hotspot converted to island paradise, Mauritius.

November 2017

Regrettably, there are no festivities, no National days and consequently, no holidays except for the weekends. You can opt to visit Odisha and its tourist attractions of the Chilika lake, Konark sun temple and even the Jagannadh swami temple in Puri.

December 2017

Fri, 1 Dec: Eid-e-Milad
Sat, 2 Dec
Sun, 3 Dec
Sat, 23 Dec
Sun, 24 Dec
Mon, 25 Dec

Some of the best Christmas holiday markets in Europe are found in picturesque Prague. Those perfectly preserved ancient streets, fairy-tale like castles, cinnamon-scented Christmas markets and chilly weather are perfectly offset by the richly-patterned cosily warm restaurants dishing out hot fortifying cuisine. But Dawki, Shillong in India is equally worth a trip, especially since the place becomes heavenly in December. Go boating in the crystal clear, most invisible waters of Unmgot river in Dwaki. And even closer home, consider a trip to Puducherry. Unravel the true essence of Puducherry as you make your way through the quaint markets, the Indian square and the French square.